Although it’s a holiday, the dogs were happy to work this morning. I hid 4 pigeons in the tall grass in front of the 2X6 whoa board. Two of them were in release traps where they could fly away and two were attached to the pigeon poles by long strings.
I heeled Tur Bo out, with an e-collar on his neck and another around his flanks, and lifted him onto the whoa board. He is getting more comfortable on the board. As soon as he hits the board he goes on point. I took some pictures then walked to the far end of the tall grass, kicking the cover as I went. I usually go to the very end then turn and head back toward the whoa board before flushing a pigeon, so I am watching the dog. When I got close to the first pigeon I flushed it and shot the blank pistol when the bird was landing. He never moved.
I continued to kick the cover and flushed the fly away bird and shot the blank pistol. The pigeon flew close to him but he didn’t move. I walked toward him until I got close to the second fly away bird. I stepped it off, to the closest bird to the dog on the whoa board, this morning. It was seven yards. When I flushed this bird it flew straight at him then turned 90 degrees. I shot the blank pistol, then shot again. I thought if I shot twice he might get real antsy and come off the board but he never moved.
I’m not sure at what point I took the picture of him with his rear leg in the air but he stayed like that for a good while. It was after a few birds. I continued to kick the cover then flushed the second bird attached to the pigeon pole by a string. I shot the blank pistol, then shot again. He never moved. The blank pistol was empty but I continued to toss birds in the air. He stayed on the board. After 12 or 14 flushes, I lifted him off the board and heeled him back to the kennel.
I heeled Blaze out, with her e-collars on and lifted her onto the whoa board. She’s getting more comfortable, also. She points birds with a lot of style but she doesn’t have any on this board. I took some pictures and walked to the far end of the field then started back toward her. As I came by the first pigeon, I flushed it then fired the blank pistol, when the bird started to land. She never moved. I continued to kick the grass then flushed the fly away bird. I shot the blank pistol, then shot again. She never moved.
I came up close to her and flushed the second fly away bird. This pigeon came right over the top of her. I shot twice and she never moved. I walked back and forth for awhile then flushed the second bird that was attached to the pigeon pole. I waited until it was about to land before I shot the blank pistol. She never moved. My blank pistol was empty but I continued to toss birds in the air for her. After 14 or 15 flushes I heeled her back to the kennel.
Both of these young dogs are doing better and starting to understand that they can’t move, I think. I will work them on this several more times before putting them on the ground. Both of them have been steady on the flush of the birds but wanted to move when the blank was fired. I have been saying “whoa” after shooting the blank pistol, hoping that they will start to anticipate the whoa command is going to come after the shot each time. This is the same as the e-collar being on their flanks and when you hit the button they anticipate whoa is coming so they stop before you say “whoa”. Sounds reasonable to me, anyway.
It’s the fourth of July. Have a safe and happy fourth and God Bless America.